Germany is on the USA's side of the oil business

[Terrance]

Otto wrote:
> 
> I agree. I suspect that keeping the oil price above 18$ is the main reason
> why Putin opposes a war on Iraq and is against a regime change.

I don't think Putin is opposed to a war. And I don't think he is opposed
to a regime change. How could anyone want to deal with SH and the
current government? He doesn't want the USA to spoil is projects and
carve out his interests. He has domestic Iraq issues too, but what he
wants is some sort of guarantee of Russia's economic interests in Iraq
in a post-SH era. If he can protect his interests he will let the USA do
the killing and he may even support it outright. Russia is frustrated by
the sanctions and by USA controls of oil. Moscow sold tons of weapons to
Iraq and they have not gotten paid for them. This debt is estimated to
be around $10 billion. Russia is the major trading partner in the
oil/food program but the US/Un controls it. Russia has major oil
projects and contracts in Iraq, but as long as sanctions are in place
these projects and contracts remain a liability at considerable risk.
But W and Putin will work out a few more deals and Russia will join the
coalition. $22 oil is probably a good price for all. The US is not  a
nation in decline, W is not, as Tom Friedman recently suggested, a man
playing chicken, she is a wounded animal in a corner, teeth bared, cubs
all around.